Bible Strands
Psalms 109:8
May his days be few; may another take his position.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — David speaks to God as he faces false accusations and a hostile adversary who has plotted against him. The prayer is uttered during a moment of intense personal distress and legal vulnerability.
The words — The Hebrew יִֽהְיֽוּ־ (yih.yu-) and מְעַטִּ֑ים (me.'a.Tim) literally render "may they be" and "few," forming a direct wish that the enemy's lifespan be shortened. The term פְּ֝קֻדָּת֗/וֹ (pe.ku.da.T/o) specifically denotes the "office" or administrative position the adversary currently occupies.
The thread — This pattern of shortened days and displaced office recurs in Psalms 55:23 and is explicitly applied to Judas in Acts 1:16. Matthew 27:5 records the historical fulfillment of this displacement through Judas's death and the loss of his appointed role.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to direct personal grievance to God's judgment rather than pursuing private retaliation. It demands acknowledgment that divine sovereignty, not human vengeance, determines the outcome of hostile circumstances.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Let his days be few; and let another take his office.
Cross-references
- Psalms 55:23 But You, O God, will bring them down to the Pit of destruction; men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You.
- Acts 1:16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit foretold through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus.
- Matthew 27:5 So Judas threw the silver into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.